The 13th Paopu
by Xiaine
Summary: "I have my thirteenth paopu, but don't know if I have the guts to give it to him" Cutesy RikuSora fluff. First KH fanfic. I'm sorry if I got them wrong!


"Maybe, m-maybe not."  
_Maybe you should. It's not 'weird or anything'_  
"Yeah I guess." I heard that odd voice in my head. It told me several times I should just share a paopu fruit with Riku, but it would be weird, right? So many times I stopped myself when I had obtained one and sadly let it go to waste. This was my thirteenth one, and I for some reason just can't give it to him and tell him how I feel.

"Okay, forget it then. I won't." I tossed the fruit to the side on my bed and left out of the room. Right after closing the door, I regretted doing so and went right back in my room and picked up the fruit. "Okay never mind."

Riku had been near the shore again. He was daydreaming about what was outside of our island and what kind of worlds could be out there. I knew the feeling of dreaming of something like that, for I too want to see, thanks to his outbursts on leaving. I didn't mind though. I wanted to leave with him on this journey to other places. Kairi would come with us and it'd be just us three having the time of our lives figuring out where to go, how to get there, and who takes charge. I had hidden the paopu fruit in my back pants pocket, though the leaves were hanging out the back. This meant i couldn't at all sit down.

"Hey, Riku!" I called out in a shout. Surprisingly, he heard me. Riku turned to my direction and waved. I didn't think he would, being so up in thought. "Can i talk to you?"

"About what?" He called back. I was already right next to him by the time he asked. I smiled at him while he gleamed back. I felt hot in the face but looked onto the ocean to hide my embarrassment. The ocean was calm like always. The sun was high in the sky, which sent shimmers of light through the waters.

"Just...something personal." I said in a playful tune, turning to him fully and squatting down. "I-It's...something very very very personal. I mean like so personal, not even Kairi should know!" I tried to sound as normal as possible, but my voice cracked once I said 'Kairi'. My face flushed again and I hung my head in shame. Riku chuckled and tilted his head slightly to the side. He turned his torso towards me while his legs were still pointed towards the ocean.

"This is about Kairi, isn't it?" I had a feeling he would say that.

"No. Not this time. It's...about you actually." I muttered. I felt all my confidence press itself out through my closed eyes. It was pretty hard to get something like this out. I was never sure how I could get so nervous with my best friend. It might be because I actually want more.

_Just say it, otherwise, he'll think you're kidding._ That voice again. It was right. Riku was the type to start kidding after the conversation got boring. _Say it._ The words wouldn't come out. My mouth was glued shut at this point.

"Well whatever it is, just spit it out." He smiled again. I opened one eye and stole a peek at his face. He waved at me. "You even up? Your eyes are closed." I raised my face to his level, red in the face still.

"Sorry, just trying to figure out how I'ma say this." I shrugged trying to be cool. Sadly, it just didn't work out that way. I was losing my balance and I tilted backwards. Next thing you know, I had paopu splattered underneath me. It made a loud squashing sound. I instantly stood up and tried to get a look at my pants. Mashed pieces of yellow stained my back pocket. The yellow juices seeped out of the fabric.

Riku began to laugh. He laughed so hard he fell back and held his stomach. I stepped back, not offended that he would laugh so hard, but if it happened to him, I would've done the same. So I chuckled a little bit after. It was sad, but then again not so bad. Paopu fruit grew what seemed like all year long. I could always get another. This just added to my disposed fruit collection. Onto number fourteen.

I took the remains of the fruit out of my pocket and began to laugh again. It didn't look like a star anymore, more like a hung up coat. I threw the last of it in the sand. Riku was wiping his eyes, his laughs quieting now. I couldn't remember what I was trying to say or why I became angry.

"Ah, man! Sorry, Sora! That was just so funny! Was that a paopu?" He grinned now standing up and checking my back pockets. I stepped back from him so he wouldn't see the damage the fruit had done. No way did I want him looking at my butt for such a reason.

_Go ahead and let him look. You'll like the feeling of him watching you, right?_ That made some sense. Half of me wanted that, but at this moment Riku was still my best friend. I couldn't have him see it and think of it another way. It felt pretty wrong just thinking about it. So, I kept moving away from him as he proceeded to move closer.

"Must feel embarrassing since you won't let me see. Well, was it a paopu?" He stopped moving and crossed his arms. I nodded sheepishly and made sure to avoid eye contact.

"Okay, let me be honest with you." I finally began to say. "I was gonna give the fruit to Ka- I mean you! Yeah. Sorry, I smashed it. Riku, um... I'm sorry it's just that I can't help myself. I know this may sound weird but I kinda, well you know, like you a little more than a best friend. If that's too weird for you then, we can make it as though it never happened, yeah?" It came out so fast, I wasn't sure he heard me correctly.

His face seemed to be in utter shock. Not by my speed of speech but by the fact that I had admitted to liking him. I became scared at this point ad began to doubt. This didn't seem like me at all. I suppose when you really care for someone and you expect rejection, you tend to change.

_Oh, see? You got it out. But will he say the same to you?_ That was my doubt. The question hung in the center of my mind. I couldn't take the silence. I decided to speak instead since Riku was quiet.

"It's alright if you're weirded out. I would be too if the situation had switched, huh?" I chuckled and bit. This didn't help. Riku scratched the back of his head looking from side to side. He was uncomfortable. That's just what I needed. "Uh, you want me to go?" I asked taking some steps back.

"You sure you wanna walk backwards? You might land on your ass again." I tensed, stopping in my tracks and shrugged.

"No. But, uh, sorry for taking up your ti-"

"No big deal. I'm kinda sad we didn't get to eat the paopu together though. Maybe I can get it myself." He grinned. From what I saw, it was a very happy grin that shined along with the sun's rays. Talk about a very nice moment. It was my turn to have the shocked face. I didn't expect him to be so cool about it, let alone agree with sharing a paopu with me. I had the feeling he meant it just as friends, but I could tell by his grin that he meant it the other way.

I couldn't help but give him a goofy smile. It warmed me that he felt the same way, though he didn't directly say it. I walked back over to him and gave him the biggest bear hug I could. Thankfully no one was around to watch. So I gave Riku a quick peck on the cheek. My face and his matched the color of my red pants. Riku hugged me back and let go.

"So...we act like this never happened right?"

"You read my mind." Riku instantly placed one hand on my head and pressed down so that my head would sink almost to my stomach. I almost lost balance again. "Race me! Last one that gets to the tree, has to rub the other's feet!" He dashed off. I began running after though my wet pants caused a small problem. I pulled on the pocket so that the wet fabric didn't cling as much.

"Cheater! You got a head start!" I called out. It seemed like it was our normal routine. But I felt warm inside. No doubt about it, it made me extremely happy. Rubbing Riku's feet was something I could care less to do. Just being close to him was enough.

_Finally_


End file.
